MANHATTAN -- Studying for finals isn't the only activity taking place at Kansas State University in December. The month also will be filled several special performances and exhibitions. The following events, all free unless otherwise indicated, are sponsored by the university's McCain Performance Series, department of music, dance program and Marianna Kistler Beach Museum of Art. They include:

* "Teresa Schmidt: 2011 Friends of the Beach Museum of Art Gift Print Artist" runs through Dec. 11 at the Beach Museum. The exhibition displays a selection of works by Schmidt, professor of art at K-State.

* "Art and Psychology: The Work of Roy Langford (1903-1990)" runs through Dec. 19 at the Beach Museum and features the works of Langford, a former longtime K-State psychology professor.

* The "2011 K-State Department of Art Faculty Biennial" exhibition runs through March 16, 2012, at the Beach Museum of Art. The exhibition features the creative work of the talented K-State art faculty.

* The K-State Wind Ensemble and Concert Band will perform a concert at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 1, in McCain Auditorium. The premier wind performance group at K-State, the Wind Ensemble will perform works from composers Gary Gilroy, Paul Hindemith, Vincent Persichetti, David Gillingham and Steven Bryant. The Concert Band performance includes works from composers Frank Ticheli, Morten Lauridsen, Robert Jager and Donald Grantham. The Wind Ensemble is directed by Frank Tracz, professor of music, with special guest conductor Robert Spradling, director of bands at Western Michigan University. The Concert Band is directed by Don Linn, instructor of music.

* K-State dance students will take to the stage in WinterDance 2011 at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 1-3, with a matinee at 2:30 p.m. Dec. 3, all in Nichols Theater. An admission fee will be charged. Tickets can be purchased at the McCain Auditorium box office or by calling 785-532-6428.

* The Family Holiday Workshop will be at 2 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 4, at the Beach Museum of Art. An annual craft workshop, families are invited to come create holiday-themed ornaments and cards. Admission is $5 per child. Reservations are not needed. The workshop is sponsored by the Student Friends of the Beach Museum of Art.

* Holiday Vocal Extravaganza will be at 3 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 4, in McCain Auditorium. The event will feature performances by several K-State vocal groups, including the Collegiate Chorale, Concert Choir, In-a-Chord, K-State Singers, Men's Choir, Women's Choirs and K-State Alumni Choir. All choral ensembles are directed by K-State's Joshua Oppenheim and Julie Yu-Oppenheim, both assistant professors of music. An admission fee will be charged.

* Piano students of Slawomir Dobrzanski, associate professor of music at K-State, will have a recital at 7 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 4, at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, 481 Zeandale Road, Manhattan.

* The Theory Class Composition Recital will be performed at 5:45 p.m. Monday, Dec. 5, in All Faiths Chapel. The best compositions from the theory courses this semester will be performed at the event. Compositions include children's songs, spoken compositions, contemporary atonal works and more. Instructors of the students, all music faculty, include Paul Hunt, professor; Kristin Mortenson, instructor; David Pickering, assistant professor; Tod Kerstetter, associate professor; Karen Large, assistant professor; and Ben Worcester, instructor.

* The K-State Orchestra, in collaboration with the dance program, will perform its Christmas Concert at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 6., in McCain Auditorium. The concert will feature a Christmas-carol composition written by Charles Hower, senior in music education, Overland Park, and the "Carol Symphony" by Hely-Hutchinson, conducted by Blair Williams, master's student in music and graduate student conductor, Peabody. K-State dance students will perform alongside the orchestra during three different pieces, including "Frosty The Snow Man," "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas" and "Sleigh Ride," which will feature the K-State Tap Dance Ensemble. Non-holiday music will include three arias won by contest winners DJ Davis senior in applied music, Manhattan; Stephanie Dudley, senior in music education, Overland Park;and Danielle Cornacchio, master's student in music, Shirley, N.Y. The K-State Orchestra is directed by David Littrell, distinguished professor of music. Dance students are prepared by Julie Pentz, associate professor of dance.

* Come listen to the Irish and pop holiday harmonies of "A Celtic Tenors Christmas" at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 7, in McCain Auditorium. Tickets cost $12 to $45, with a variety of discounts available for university students, faculty and staff; military members; and youth 18 and under. Drop by the McCain Auditorium box office to get tickets or call 785-532-6428. Tickets also can be purchased online at http://www.k-state.edu/mccain.

* The K-State Jazz Combos will perform a concert at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 7, in Union Station at the K-State Student Union. The group is directed by K-State alumnus and guest faculty member Craig Treinen, assistant professor of jazz studies at Washburn University.

* "Printmaking in Kansas and the U.S.," an Art History Lecture Series presentation, will be at 10 a.m. Monday, Dec. 12, at the Beach Museum. The lecture will be presented by Bill North and Liz Seaton, art curators at the museum.

* "The Christmas Music of Manheim Steamroller by Chip Davis" will be performed to a sellout crowd at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 13, in McCain Auditorium.

* Come participate in "Thinking About Abstract and Conceptual Art," at 10 a.m. Monday, Dec. 19, at the Beach Museum. A part of the Art History Lecture Series, the presentation will be lead by Kathrine Schlageck, Beach Museum senior educator.

For more information on all Beach Museum events, call 785-532-7718; for music department events, call 785-532-5740 or check out the department's calendar in front of 109 McCain; for dance program events, call 785-532-6875; and to get tickets to McCain events call 785-532-6428.